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The High Court (HC) on Tuesday issued a rule seeking explanation as to why five sections in the Penal Code regarding abortions should not be cancelled.
The virtual bench of Justice Tariq ul Hakim and Justice SM Kuddus Zaman issued the rule after hearing a writ petition filed by the Supreme Court lawyer Syeda Nasrin.
Syeda Nasrin stood for the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Amit Das Gupta represented the state.
Nasrin said section 312 to 316 explain the penalty for abortion which has been restricting women from taking independent decisions over the matter which is a violation of her basic rights.
Rape victims are also unable to abort the unwanted child, she said, adding that women also not permitted to abort unexpected pregnancy due to the law which was formed in British regime in 1860.
Besides, abortion is already legal in many countries across the globe, she added.